Shedeur Sanders Slides Out of Round 1 as NFL Fans Are Buzzing About Draft Landing Spot

Shedeur Sanders will not be a first-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft.

Fans were first surprised to see Sanders slide out of the top 10 when the Chicago Bears selected Michigan tight end Colston Loveland with the No. 10 pick on Thursday night in Green Bay.

Viewers were further shocked when the Pittsburgh Steelers used the No. 21 pick to draft Oregon defensive tackle Derrick Harmon.

Sanders was tied to the Steelers ahead of the draft, and Pittsburgh remains in need of a quarterback given their stalled pursuit of Aaron Rodgers.

His slide past the Steelers led some fans to wonder if the former Colorado star would hear his name called on Day 1.

The New York Giants surprised many by selecting fellow quarterback Jaxson Dart with the No. 25 pick.

Sanders completed 353 of 477 passes for 4,134 yards with 37 touchdowns to 10 interceptions during his senior season at Colorado. He finished his college career as the second quarterback to compile more than 14,000 yards on a completion rate of 70 percent or higher.

The former Jackson State and Colorado signal caller is ranked as the No. 23 overall prospect and No. 2 quarterback available on the final B/R 2025 NFL Draft Big Board.

B/R NFL scout Dame Parson praised Sanders as "one of the purest passers from the pocket in college football and the NFL Draft class," but noted he "does not utilize his athleticism enough to escape the pocket quickly and avoid pressure."

Parson comped Sanders to "shades of Geno Smith with less arm talent."

"Sanders is best suited for a quick-passing offense, where he can play on time and on schedule," Parson wrote. "He has the mental aptitude and accuracy to become a franchise-leading quarterback."

Cam Ward, selected by the Tennessee Titans with the No. 1 pick, is the only quarterback to hear his name called early Thursday night. That marks a significant change from last year, when by this time in the night Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, Michael Penix Jr. and J.J. McCarthy had all come off the board.

Sanders will now wait to see if he can beat out Alabama's Jalen Milroe (No. 70 overall, No. 4 quarterback on the B/R Big Board) and others as the third quarterback drafted in 2025.